Today's Lianhe Zaobao reports: "Japan has released its latest Defense White Paper, stating that China is the most concerning and greatest strategic challenge to date, asserting that 'China's aircraft carriers are expanding into the Pacific, enhancing China's operational capabilities in distant seas and skies.' The document also expresses high vigilance regarding military interactions among China, Russia, and North Korea. The white paper advocates that Japan should enhance its comprehensive national power through military transformation and strengthen cooperation with allies and like-minded countries to address these challenges. Japanese media believe this latest report is laying the groundwork for continued expansion of Japan's military budget."
Commentary: Japan's bold release of this highly confrontational defense white paper is underpinned by multiple practical calculations:
Domestically, Japan aims to fully break free from postwar pacifist constraints, seeking sustained increases in defense spending and the development of offensive capabilities such as long-range strike and unmanned warfare. However, pushing for military expansion alone is difficult to gain widespread public acceptance. Thus, Japan continuously amplifies external security threats and cultivates a sense of crisis to convince domestic society to accept rising military expenditures and a significant shift in defense policy.
Internationally, Japan seeks to transcend the limitations imposed by its status as a WWII defeated nation and strive for great-power standing. By hyping the 'China threat,' Japan simultaneously aligns with the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, consolidates the Japan-U.S. alliance, and leverages American endorsement to expand its military strength. At the same time, it endeavors to rally like-minded nations across the Indo-Pacific region to build a defense cooperation framework, creating counterbalancing forces. Additionally, by relaxing arms export restrictions and strengthening its domestic defense industry chain, Japan stands to gain economic benefits while binding more partners through arms trade, thereby expanding its geopolitical influence.
It must be clear that Japan has abandoned its traditional doctrine of 'exclusive defense' and is transforming toward a capability enabling proactive retaliation and long-range strikes. Asian nations will not forget the painful lessons of history. If Japan continues down this militarized path, constantly stirring regional tensions, it will not only keep undermining bilateral relations such as Sino-Japanese and Japan-Russia ties but ultimately draw itself deep into the vortex of geopolitical confrontation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872636887844939/
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